Counter-balance support

ABSTRACT

A COUNTER-BALANCE SUPPORT FOR A SUSPENDED LID INCLUDING A PAIR OF COMPRESSION SPRINGS ACTING ALTERNATIVELY TOGETHER AND IN OPPOSITION FOR EFFECTIVELY COUNTER-BALANCING THE WEIGHT OF THE LID DURING VERTICAL SWINGING MOVEMENT THEREOF.

Feb. 6, 1973 c. H. LITTLE COUNTER-BALANCE SUPPORT Filed Nov. 17, 1971 2Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. CfiPL H 4/771 5 ATTORNEYS Feb. 6, 197 3 c. H.LITTLE 3,714,680

COUNTER-BALANCE SUPPORT Filed Nov. 17, 1971 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 C/QRL H.LITTL E ATTORNEYS 4/0 ANGLE (DEGREES) BY United States Patent 3,714,680COUNTER-BALANCE SUPPORT Carl H. Little, Jamestown, N.Y., assignor toWeber- Knapp Company, Jamestown, N.Y. Filed Nov. 17, 1971, Ser. No.199,584 Int. Cl. Ef 1/12 US. Cl. 16-190 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE A counter-balance support for a suspended lid including apair of compression springs acting alternatively together and inopposition for effectively counter-balancing the weight of the lidduring vertical swinging movement thereof.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed towards acounterbalance support for suspending a lid or cover plate for openingmovement in a direction upwardly towards an operator. More specifically,the present invention is directed towards an improved hinge mechanismwhich will effectively counter-balance the weight of a suspended lid atsubstantially all positions thereof throughout its operative arc ofmovement.

The present invention features the utilization of a pair of compressionsprings arranged to act alternately together and in opposition and afriction-brake mechanism associated with one of the springs; the springsand friction-brake mechanism co-operating to provide torque forcesvariable throughout the extent of vertical swinging movement of the lidas required to counter-balance the weight of the lid.

The nature and mode of the present invention will now be more fullydescribed in the following detailed description as taken with theaccompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view partially in phantom illustrating theplacement of the pair of hinge mechanisms forming the counter-balancesupport of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken generally along line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken generally along line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken generally along line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken generally along line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken generally along line 66 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a graphic comparison of the torque effect curves of the lidand counter-balance support.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Reference is now made specifically to FIG. 1wherein a pair of hinges 10 and 10, which are formed in accordance withthe present invention, are shown as being employed to suspend agenerally L-shaped lid or cover 12 beneath a console or other machinecontrol enclosure 14; the altter being supported on a machine casecabinet or stand 16 by means of a pedestal 18. It will be understood,that lid 12 is shown as being in its normally closed position, whereinhorizontally disposed lid part 12a is arranged to cover an opening, notshown, in the top surface of machine base cabinet 16 and lid part 12b isarranged in facing engagement with pedestal 18. Of course, lid portion12b may be employed to close any opening present in the pedestal, asrequired. Alternatively, lid portion 12a may be dispensed with and lidportion 3,714,680 Patented Feb. 6, 1973 'ice 12b employed to cover anopening in a vertically disposed wall or cabinet side.

In that hinges 10 and 10 are of similar construction, only hinge 10 willbe discussed in detail and similar parts of hinge 10, where shown, willbe designated by primed numbers.

Now making particular reference to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, it will be seenthat hinge 10 generally includes a housing member 20, which is suitablyfixed, as by machine screws 22 to the framework of console 14; a pivotnose piece member 24, which is mounted by a pin shaft 26 in housingmember 20 and serves to support lid 12 for vertical swinging movement;and first and second spring mechanisms 28 and 30.

Housing member 20 is formed from sheet metal to define an invertedgenerally U-shaped intermediate portion 32 having side flanges 32a, 32band a top flange 32c; a pair of parallel spring mechanism mountingflange portions 34a and 34b, which extend from side flanges 32a and 32b;and a single side mounting flange portion 36, which extends from sideflange 32a and is formed with apertures to receive housing membermounting screws 22. Further, side flanges 32a and 32b are formed withaligned openings to receive pin shaft 26 and are punched out to defineinwardly converging stops 38a and 38b; top flange 320 is punched out todefine a slot opening 40; and the ends of mounting flange portion 32aand 32b are formed with notches, as at 42.

Nose piece member 24 is of generally U-shaped crosssectionalconfiguration, wherein legs 24a and 24b are formed with three pairs ofaligned apertures to receive pin shaft 26, and pin shafts or rivets 44and 46 for supporting ends of first and second spring mechanisms 28 and30, respectively. The base portion 24c of member 24 is formed withapertures 48 for receiving suitable fastener devices, not shown, bywhich cover part 12b is secured against the free edge surfaces of legs24a and 24b.

First spring mechanism 28 includes a coil type com pression spring 50,which is arranged concentrically of a bolt 52 to bear adjacent itsopposite ends of an adjustment nut 54 and a washer 56. Washer 56 iscarried on one end of a resiliently deformable, plastic brake shoe 58,which is arranged concentrically of and in frictional engagement withbolt 52. The other end of shoe 58 is preferably rounded and arranged inengagement with the converging inner or hearing walls of a throughbored, cup shaped member 60, which is in turn movably received within anopening 61 formed in a generally H-shaped mounting plate 62. As bestshown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, legs 64 of mounting plate 62 are arranged tolie within mounting flange notches 42, whereby to positionally anchor orconstrain one end of spring mechanism 28 relative to housing member 20.As will be apparent from viewing the drawings, bolt 52 freely passesthrough member 60 and mounting plate 62, such that it is freed forreciprocating and/or rotary adjustment movements relative to housingmember 20. Vertical pivotal movements of bolt 52 relative to housingmember 20 is facilitated by arranging a flat rim portion of member 60 inengagement with a pair of dimples 63, which project rearwardly ofmounting plate 62 in opposite directions from adjacent opening 61.

The opposite end of spring mechanism 28 is positionally fixed to nosepiece 24 by freely fitting a reduced diam eter end portion of bolt 52within a bore opening 66 formed in an adjustment connector 68; thelatter being pivotal-1y mounted on the nose piece member by pin shaft44, which is arranged essentially parallel to pin shaft 26.

As will :be apparent from viewing FIGS. 3 and 4, adjustment nut 54 isthreaded onto a relatively short threaded portion 70 of bolt 52 andformed with a top edge opening slot 72, which is dimensioned toslideably receive a guide extension or finger 74 formed integrally withadjustment connector 68. As will be apparent, nut 54 may be movedlengthwise of threaded portion 70 upon rotations of bolt 52 in order toadjustably vary the extent to which spring 50 is initially compressed.

By again referring to FIG. 4, it will be appreciated that spring 50serves to drive the round nose portion of shoe 58 into engagement withthe converging inner walls of member 60, thereby squeezing the innerwall surfaces of the shoe radially inwardly into friction-bearingcontact with bolt 52. The snubbing or friction braking effect generatedby friction between the shoe and the bolt will be a function of thedegree of compression of spring 50 and tend to oppose movement of thelid during both openings and closures thereof. Deformation of shoe 58may be facilitated by slotting diametrically opposed wall portions ofshoe 58, as at 76, except for a small web portion 78, which serves tomaintain the two halves of the shoe in an integral relationship. It willbe understood that the construction of shoe 58 per se forms no part ofthe present invention; the structure and mode of operation of such shoehaving been disclosed in commonly assigned US. Pat. 3,187,374.

Second spring mechanism 30 includes a compression spring 80, which isarranged concentrically of a bolt 82 and bears adjacent its oppositeends on a bearing washer 84 and an enlarged shoulder portion of a sleeve86. Sleeve 86 is bored to slideably receive bolt 82 and formed with arounded end portion moveably seated within a cupshaped recess formed ina mounting plate 88; the mounting plate additionally being formed with avertically disposed slot opening 89 for freely receiving bolt 82. Asbest shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 6, spring mechanism 30 is positionallyanchored to housing member 20 by forming mounting plate 88 with a pairof edge notches 90, which are arranged to bear against stops 38a and38b; and an upper tab portion 92, which is received within slot 40. Itwill be apparent that with this construction, bolt 82 is supported forboth reciprocation and relative vertical pivotal movement relative tohousing member 20.

The opposite end of spring mechanism 30 is pivotally aflixed to nosepiece member 24 by threading bolt 82 into connector 94, the latter beingengaged by hearing plate 84 and pivotally mounted on the nose piecemember by pin shaft 46 arranged essentially parallel pin shaft 26.

When lid 12 is in its closed position, spring mechanisms 28 and 30occupy the full line positions illustrated in FIG. 4, wherein each ofsprings 50 and 80 is compressed; spring 50 tending to pivot the lidtowards its open position illustrated in phantom and designated as 12,and spring 80 opposing spring 50 and cooperating with the weight of thelid to maintain same in fully closed position. As the lid is movedtowards its open position, spring 50 is permitted to expand in acontinuous manner until its associated pin shaft 44 moves into thephantom line position designated as 44' when the lid is in its openposition. However, spring 80 is progressively compressed during openingmovement of the lid from its closed into an intermediate position, whichis determined when pin shaft 46 moves into a centered or alignedrelationship relative to pin shaft 26, as indicated at 46'. As pin shaft46 is moved over center relative to pin shaft 26 into a lid openposition designated in phantom line at 46" during continued door openingmovements, spring 86 is permitted to progressively expand.

In FIG. 7, the torque curves for spring 50, spring 80, lid 12 and thesupport (both of springs 59 and 80) are plotted in full line, whereascurves representing the snubbing effects of shoe 58 on the support curveare indicated by dashed lines. In practice, the support curve isdesigned to approximately match the lid curve with a view tosubstantially counterbalance the weight of the lid and preferably topositively bias the lid towards open position during a wide range ofopening movem and the snubbing action of shoe 58, which opposes allmovement of the lid, is employed in conjunction with the suP port todefine a counter balance envelope to enclose the lid curve for only thatportion of lid movement during which it is desired to counter balancethe lid and prevent coasting thereof towards either closed or openpositions. When the lid curve falls outside of the counter balanceenvelope, the lid is not balanced and will either fall under theinfluence of gravity or be propelled upwardly by the support towardsopen position depending upon whether the lid curve lies above or belowthe counter balance envelope, respectively. In the illustratedconstruction, the design is such that the lid curve lies above thecounter balance envelope for about the last 15 of lid closing movementin order to permit the lid to fall with progressively increasing forceinto firmly closed position. Of course, adjustment of the initialcomposition of spring 50 will produce adjustments of the counter balanceenvelope and thus the relative ease with which the lid is opened andclosed.

When the weight and/or configuration of the lid is such as to permitmore accurate matching of the support and lid curves and/or lid coastingmovements are not deemed undesirable, the friction shoe may be dispensedwith. Moreover, in installations where uniform snubbing action is notrequired and/or not desired, the friction shoe may be associated withthe second spring mechanism.

I claim:

1. A cover mounting combination hinge and counterbalance and motionsnubbing mechanism for suspending a cover relative to a cabinet foropening movement vertically upwardly towards an operator and for closingmovement vertically downwardly away from such operator, which comprisesin combination:

a pair of hinge parts fixed one to each of said cover and cabinet;

hinge pin means for joining said hinge parts for relative verticalpivotal movement about an essentially horizontal hinge axis betweencover open and closed positions;

first and second compression springs;

first means coupling opposite ends of said first spring one to each ofsaid hinge parts for establishing a moment tending to continuously biassaid cover upwardly towards said open position;

second means coupling opposite ends of said second spring one to each ofsaid hinge parts for establishing first and second moments tending toalternately bias said cover towards said closed and opened positionsduring movements of said cover between about said closed position and anintermediate position and between about said intermediate position andsaid open position, respectively; and

friction means carried in operative association with one of said springsby an associated one of said first and second means for dampeningmovements of said cover as a function of spring compression variationsof said one spring incident to cover positional changes, said moments ofsaid first and second springs cooperating with said friction means tocounter balance the torque effects of gravity on said cover throughoutsubstantially the whole of the opening and closing movements.

2. A mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said friction means is inoperative association with said first spring, said first means includesa connector having a bore opening, pin means extending essentiallytransversely of said bore opening for coupling said connector to one ofsaid hinge parts for pivotal movement about an axis essentially parallelto said hinge axis, an aprtured member defining a converging bearingsurface, means for positionally mounting said apertured member relativeto the other of said hinge parts, a bolt having one end extending freelythrough said apertured member and having another end rotatably supportedwithin said bore opening, and a plate threadably carried by said boltadjacent said other end thereof whereby to permit adjustments of saidplate lengthwise of said bolt towards and away from said connector; saidfriction means is resiliently deformable and arranged in frictionalengagement with said bolt intermediate said apertured member and saidplate; and said first spring is arranged essentially concentrically ofsaid bolt to bear adjacent opposte ends thereof on said plate and saidfriction means whereby adjustments of said plate varies compression ofsaid first spring and said friction means is biased by said first springinto engagement with said converging bearing surface and thereby intofrictional engagement wtih said rod.

3. A mechanism according to claim 2, wherein said second means includesa second connector, second pin means for connecting said secondconnector to said one hinge part for pivotal movement about a secondaxis essentially parallel to said hinge axis, a second bolt fixedadjacent one end thereof to said second connector, a sleeve having anopening therethrough to slideably support another end of said secondbolt, and means for positionally mounting said sleeve relative to saidother hinge part; and said second spring is arranged essentiallyconcentrically of said second rod to bear adjacent opposite ends thereofon said second connector and said sleeve.

4. A cover mounting combination hinge and counterbalnce and motionsnubbing mechanism for suspending a cover relative to a cabinet foropening movement vertically upwardly towards an operator and for closingmovement vertically downwardly away from such operator, said cover beingcharacterized as being of generally L- shaped configuration having baseand upstanding portions disposed essentially horizontal and vertical,respectively, when said cover is in its closed position, said mechanismcomprising in combination:

a generally horizontally extending first hinge part fixed to saidcabinet;

a generally vertically extending second hinge part fixed to saidupstanding portion of said cover;

hinge pin means for joining an upper end of said second hinge part tosaid first hinge part for vertical pivotal movement about an essentiallyhorizontally disposed hinge axis between cover open and closedpositions,'said axis extending transversely of said first hinge partintermediate front and rear ends thereof;

a first spring device including a bolt, a connector having a guideprojection and means to support one end of said bolt for free rotationalmovement about an axis extending co-directionally with said guideprojection, connector pin means extending essentially transversely ofsaid bolt rotational axis for connecting said connector to said secondhinge part for pivotal movement about an axis essentially parallel tosaid hinge axis, an apertured plate defining a converging bearingsurface, a mounting plate carried by said front end of said first hingepart and supporting said apertured member for vertical tilting movement,said apertured member and said mounting plate freely receiving anopposite end of said bolt, an adjustment plate threadably carried bysaid bolt adjacent said one end thereof and slideably engaging saidguide projection whereby upon rotation of said bolt said adjustmentplate is caused to reciprocate lengthwise of said bolt towards and awayfrom said connector, a resiliently deformable friction sleeve arrangedin frictional engagement with said bolt intermediate said aperturedmember and said adjustment plate, and a first coil compression springarranged concentrically of said bolt to bear adjacent opposite endsthereof on said adjustment plate and said friction sleeve whereby saidfriction sleeve is biased by said spring into engagement with saidconverging bearing surface and thereby into frictional engagement withsaid bolt,

said connector pin means being arranged to move from a position in frontof and above said hinge axis when said cover is in closed position oversaid hinge axis and into a position in back of and above said hinge axiswhen said cover is in open position whereby to permit said spring toestablish a moment tending to continuously bias said cover upwardlytowards said open position; and second spring device including a secondconnector, second pin means for connecting said second connector to saidsecond hinge part for pivotal movement about a second axis essentiallyparallel to said hinge axis, a second bolt fixed adjacent one endthereof to said second connector, a sleeve device having an openingtherethrough for slideably supporting another end of said second bolt, asecond mounting plate means mounted on another of said rear end of saidfirst hinge part for end supporting said sleeve device for verticalmovement relative thereto, and a second coil compression spring arrangedconcentrically of said second bolt to bear adjacent opposite endsthereof on said second connector and said sleeve device, said second pinmeans being arranged to move from a position to the rear of and abovesaid hinge axis when said cover is in closed position rearwardly of saidhinge axis and into a position below said hinge axis when said cover isin closed position whereby to permit said second spring to establishfirst and second movements tending to alternately bias said covertowards closed and opened positions during movements of said coverbetween about said closed position and an intermediate position andbetween about said intermediate position and said open position,respectively, said moments established by said first and second springscooperating to produce a support moment counterbalancing the torqueeffects of gravity on said cover throughout substantially the whole ofthe opening and closing movements thereof, and said support moment beingopposed by friction between said sleeve and said bolt for dampeningmovements of said cover as a function of compression variations of saidfirst spring incident to cover positional changes.

5. A cover mounting combination hinge and counterbalance mechanism forsuspending a cover relative to a cabinet for opening movement verticallyupwardly towards an operator and for closing movement verticallydownwardly away from such operator, which comprises in combination:

a pair of hinge parts fixed one to each of said cover and cabinet;

hinge pin means for joining said hinge parts for relative verticalpivotal movement about an essentially horizontal hinge axis betweencover open and closed po- 55 sitions;

first and second compression springs; first means coupling opposite endsof said first spring one to each of said hinge parts for establishing amoment tending to continuously bias said cover up- 60 wardly towardssaid open position; and

second means coupling opposite ends of said second spring one to each ofsaid hinge parts for establishing first and second moments tending toalternately bias said cover towards said closed and opened positionsduring movements of said cover between about said closed position and anintermediate position and between about said intermediate position andsaid open position, respectively, said moments of said first and secondsprings cooperating to produce a support moment counter balancing thetorque effects of gravity on said cover throughout substantially thewhole of the opening and closing movements.

6. A mechanism according to claim 5, wherein said first means includes aconnector having a bore opening, pin 75 means extending essentiallytransversely of said bore opening for coupling said connector to one ofsaid hinge parts for pivotal movement about an axis essentially parallelto said hinge axis, constraining means tiltably mounted on the other ofsaid hinge parts, a bolt having one end extending freely through saidconstraining means and having another end rotatably supported Withinsaid bore opening, and a plate threadably carried by said bolt adjacentsaid other end thereof whereby to permit adjustments of said platelengthwise of said bolt towards and away from said connectors, saidfirst spring is arranged essentially concentrically of said bolt to bearadjacent opposite ends thereof on said plate and said constraining meanswhereby adjustments of said plate vary compression of said first spring.

7. A mechanism according to claim 6, wherein said connector includes agmide projection extending codirectionally with said bore openingthereof, and said plate is arranged for sliding engagement with saidguide projection,

whereby upon rotation of said bolt said plate is caused to reciprocatelengthwise of said bolt.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner P.A. ASCHENBRENNER, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 16-85; 49-386

